Camera holder



SePt- 9, 1952 R. H. sTAEHL|N ET AL 2,609,738

CAMERA HOLDER Filed March 29, 1950 27 Ml Il 3a .l

[n 1|| WL? Q9 "3 22R www JAH/ENTORS /Prupf/ H- S'mf//z//v mvo may c. wufef/v Patented Sept. 9, 1952 CAMERA HOLDER Ralph H. Staelilin and Mary C. Wuebben,

Dayton, Ohio Application March 29, 1950, Serial No. 152,692

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved support for cameras.

It is among rthe objects of the present invention to provide a support upon which a pair of identical cameras may be placed and rig-idly held in predetermined relative positions, whereby two corresponding exposures of the same subject matter may simultaneously be taken for stereoscopic use.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a support upon which a pair of identical cameras are removably and rigidly secured in predetermined relative positions, said support having provisions for simultaneously actuating the shutter mechanism of the respective cameras.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a support for twin cameras as defined in the preceding paragraph, said support also having provisions for actuating the film supply carrier or spool of both cameras simultaneously by the operation of a single element on said support.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown,

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view of the carrier with the two identical cameras mounted thereon.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view4 of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line and arrows 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an end View of the device illustrated in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary rear view illustrating a modified form of one element of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. '7.

Fig. 8 is a detail view of an element of the niodiiied construction.

The device of the present invention was conceived and designed to hold two identical cameras in proper relativepositions so that they may be operated simultaneously to produce two pictures of the same object, said pictures when properly mounted and viewed in a stereoscope producing the effect of solidity or relief by combining the images of the two pictures taken from 2 points of view a little way apart due to 'the`relative location of the two cameras on said device.

The drawings illustrating the invention show two identical cameras in the low cost field, purchasable on the open market and utilizing the popular and generally available 16 millimeter movie nlm either in blaclr` and white or in color. The cameras designated by the references 2DR and 20L each have a shutter operating lever 2 IR and 2|L respectively and an actuatorf22R and 22L for the iilm supply vcarrier or spool within each camera. f

For low cost production, lightness in weight and for strength, the parts of the present device are preferably made of some suitable molded plastic. The device consists of a base 25 having two sets of relatively arranged lugs 26 and 2l extending from one side thereof, the arrangement of each set being such that a camera may be placed in the space defined by each set, the lugs properly locating each camera and holding them against movement on said base.

A beam 30 has two recesses 31! and 32 which iit over and upon the respective housing portions 33 for the view finders of the respective cameras 20L and ZUR. Any suitable means for detachably securing the beam of the base will, when said beam is placed vupon both cameras, rigidly clamp and hold the cameras in proper position on said base. The present drawings show this means as comprising a depending integral lug 35 on said beam 30, the lug having an enlarged head portion 36 which, as shown in Fig. 4, is removably grasped by the oppositely disposed, resilient arms 3l of the clasp 38 secured to the base 25. In order to hold the cameras against tilting upon the base 25, beam 30 has angular lugs 3:1 which fit and press upon the respective view finder housings 33 of the respective cameras ZL and 20B.

A shutter actuating lever iii is movably attached to the beam. Aheaded pin 4i extends through a slot 42 in lever 40 and is anchored in the beam 30. Extensions at the endsk of lever 40 engage the shutter levers ZlL and 21R oi the cameras whensaid beam 3i! is secured to the base to hold the cameras thereon.l The longitudinal center line of elongatedslot i2 in lever 40 is substantially parallel to the line oi movement of Said shutter levers and thus when ylever 4l) is pressed upon at its centralhigh point 54,

.it will move bodily, substantially parallel with the movement of the levers 2lL and iR, there- However, when pressure is exerted at either end simultaneously. This mechanism comprises a train of rotary motion transmitting elements such as gears, friction wheels and the like, rotatably carried by an angular shelf formed onthe clamping beam 30. The train of rotatable elerespectively simultaneously or individually as de-i sired.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a. base having means providing spaces in which identical cameras may be nested to position them in predetermined relative positions; of a beam shaped to t upon the surface y of both' cameras opposite the side of the cameras engaging thefbase; a resilient receptacle on the base; a detent on the beam engageable with the resilient receptacle when said beam is placed on Y `both cameras for securing the camerason said ments are designated respectively by the numer.-4

als 1|, 12, 13, 14 and 15, see Figs. 6 and'1; 'Elements 1| and 15, rotatably carried by beam shelf;

10, each have a member 16 attached thereto to rotate therewith, each member 16 having diametrically opposite resilient finger portions .11, arcuated to iit over and securely grasp the respective film spool actuators 22L and 22B. when the beam is placed upon the cameras 20L and ZUR. On the side of the shelf 10, opposite the elementsll to 15, a single actuator 80 is provided, said actuator 80 being mechanically connected to element 1 I. The shelf 10 has a graduated, circular scale thereon, surrounding the actuator 80, said scale being a duplicate of the scale provided on the cameras about their respective lm spool actuators 22L and 22R. Thus when thesingle actuator 80, in convenient availability on top of the beam shelf 10, is rotated through one portion v spective fingered members 16 `will rotate thefiilm spool actuators of both cameras through a corresponding portion of a revolution to shift both lm supplies and thereby provide a proper unexposed section of the film in each camera for the next exposure.

The parts of the present device are easily put together for holding two cameras in proper relative positions to take dual pictures of an object simultaneously and are just as easily disassembled to remove the cameras. The device assures simultaneous operation of the shutter mechanism as well as the film supply spools of both cameras thus assuring accuracy in exposure and film frame provision for both pictures in each exposure.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form,

- it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a device of the character described, the

combination with a base upon which two identical cameras are placed and held in predetermined relative positions; of a beam contoured tot over the top of both cameras and engage them;

on said base; and a lever movably attached to the beam by means of a pin on the beam extending through an elongated slot in the lever, the lever having portions engaging similar operating elements on said cameras, said leverbeing operative in parallelism with the beam or tiltablyeither 4 to actuate the operating elements of both cameras base; and a lever secured to the beam by a pin on the `beam extending through a slot in the lever so as to be movable thereon either in parallelism thereto or tiltably thereon, said lever engaging operatingelements on both cameras and being operative to actuate them, either in unison or individually.

3. In a device of vthe character described, the combination with a base; lugs on the base forming spaces for receiving and holding identical cameras in predetermined relative positions, each camera having a shutter lever; a beam shaped to fit over and engag'eidentical portions of each camera; cooperating ball and socket means on the beam and base operative removably to `secure the beam to the base for clamping the cameras to said base; anda lever having end portions engaging the shutterlever of each camera and intermediately securedjto the beam by means of a pin on the beam extending throughu'an inclined slot in the lever so asv to be `movable eitherin parallelism tothe beam simultaneously to actuate the said shutter levers, or tiltably to the beam to actuate eithershutter lever individually.

4. In a device ofthe character described, the combination with a base upon whichtwo identical cameras maybe placed; means on `the base for holding said cameras in predetermined relative positions, each camera having a shutter operating lever; a beam engaging both cameras; means operative detachably to secure the beam tothe base for securelyclamping the cameras to said base; a lever engagingy both camera shutter levers said lever having anelongated slot whose longitudinal center issubstantially parallel withthe path of movement of said shutter levers; ancla pinon the bearmextending through said slot in the lever for securing the lever tothe beam and permitting said lever to be moved either plv otally on the beam or substantially in parallelism thereto and in aline corresponding tothe line of shutter lever movements.

5. In a device of the character describeduthe combination with a base adapted to have Atwo identical cameras placed in predetermined relative positions thereon; of a beam, notched to fit about and engage identical portions, of each camera, said cameras each having a shutternoperating member; a lugon the beam, said lug having an enlarged head portion; a retaineron the base, said retainer having spaced, oppositely disposed resilient arms for receiving the head portion of the lug whereby the beam is removably secured to the base and the'cam'eras securely clamped thereon bysaid beam; 'and a lever movably secured to the beam by means of a pin on the beam extending through a slot in the lever, said lever engaging the shutter operating members of both cameras and being operative to actuate said members either individually or in unison when said beam is secured to the base.

6. In a device'of the character vdescribedtlle combination with` a'bas'e adapted to'have 'two identical cameras placed thereon in predetermined relative positions, said cameras each having shutter and illm carrier actuators; of a beam fitting over and upon identical portions of said cameras; means on the beam and base, cooperating removably to secure the beam to the base for clamping the cameras thereupon; a lever movably carried by the beam by means of a pin extending through an inclined slot in the lever and engaging the shutter actuators of both cameras said lever being operative for operating said actuators either simultaneously or individually; a train of connected rotary movement transmitting elements on the beam, two of which operatively engage the fil mcariier actuators of the respective cameras for turning them simultaneously in the same direction; andan actuator on they beam, operatively connected to one of said two elements for actuating the train of elements and thus the film carriers of both cameras simultaneously.

7. In a device of the character described the combination with a, base adapted to have two identical cameras placed thereon in predetermined relative positions, said cameras each having shutter and lm carrier actuators; of a beam tting over and upon identical portions of said cameras; ball and socket means on the beam and base, cooperating removably to secure the beam to the base for clamping the cameras thereupon; a lever movably carried by the beam by Cil 6 means of a pin on the beam extending through a slot in the lever, the lever engaging the shutter actuators of both cameras, said lever being operative for operating said actuators either simultaneously or individually; two rotatable elements carried by the beam, each directly over a nlm carrier actuator of a respective camera when said beam is in position to hold the cameras on the base; resilient fingers on each of said elements operative to iit over the adjacent iilm carrier actuators and operatively connect them to the respective elements; rotary movement transmitting means on the beam and operatively connected to both said elements for rotating them in the same direction concurrently; and an actuator on the beam operatively connected to one of said elements for turning it.

RALPH H. STAEHLIN. MARY C. WUEBBEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,542,730 Richards June 16, 1925 2,453,075 Land Nov. 2, 1948 2,453,180 Bachelder Nov. 9, 1948 2,458,466 Campbell Jan. 4, 1949 

